Echo Azerbaijan
Promoting Free and Fair Elections in Iraq: NGOs and Building the Political Process
MS. VAN REST: And to echo Ken's comments, the security situation is challenging in Iraq, but from our experience, we see hundreds of Iraqis who are intent on this process going through, and in spite of security concerns, they are continuing to get out and conduct "get out the vote" activities and go to conferences and all manner of things to prepare for the elections. ... [Read More]
Advancing U.S. Interests Through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
In his memoirs, former Secretary of State George Schultz recalls traveling to Vienna in 1989 to sign the CSCE Treaty that resulted in a Human Rights Conference in Moscow. Recounting the strong efforts of the U.S. that resulted in expanding room for independent media in Russia and the release of political prisoners, he said, "We had insisted…that we would not settle simply for words on human rights. We insisted on deeds by the Soviets and their Satellite states." Today, we can only echo Secretary Schultz' sentiment that we must insist that promises of human rights for citizens are fulfilled in deed throughout the OSCE region. ... [Read More]
2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Azerbaijan
The Hurriyet newspaper closed in March, and the financial situation of most other opposition newspapers remained precarious due to government harassment, high court fines, libel lawsuits, and declining readership. Unlike previous years, the courts began collecting libel fines primarily through freezing bank accounts and collecting profits through distribution agencies, which increased the financial burdens of some opposition newspapers. During the year, many opposition and government-run newspapers reduced circulation and several, including prominent opposition paper Yeni Musavat, reduced periodicity and stopped printing for short periods because of lack of funds. Other publications like Monitor Magazine stopped printing at times during the year because of technical difficulties. However, some government newspapers also reduced circulation and moderate independent newspapers like Echo, Zerkalo, and Ayna either maintained their circulation or slightly increased it. ... [Read More]
(E) Eurasia Overview
Several incidents of domestic terrorism occurred in Tajikistan in 2000. A small car bomb, planted on a vehicle belonging to the European Community Humanitarian Organization (ECHO), exploded on 16 July in Dushanbe and injured several children. In addition, in October an unoccupied car belonging to the Chairman of the Democratic Party, Mahmadruzi Iskandarov, was bombed. Bombings and other violence marred Tajikistani Parliamentary elections in February, which concluded the Tajikistani Peace Process ending a five-year civil war. On 1 October and 31 December four churches were bombed. Several deaths and numerous casualties resulted from the bombing in October. There is no evidence that any of the attacks, either on the churches or during the elections, involved international interests. While the Tajikistani Government does not support the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), it has been unable to prevent it from transiting its territory. ... [Read More]
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